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Photo: The Dilly Lama
When I travel abroad, I look for study programs that help me engage with local culture. In researching my next trip, I came across these offbeat programs.
1. Elephant Camp in Thailand
Thailand has various short term “elephant camps” where participants learn basic mahout (elephant handler) care. This includes feeding, bathing, and communicating through touch. Students receive an official mahout certificate upon successful handling of the elephant through bamboo forest and riverbanks. Prices generally include room and board at local rest houses. Popular programs include Maesa Elephant Camp, Anantara Elephant Camp, and Volunteering Solutions
2. Gelato University in Italy
Carpiginiani Gelato University in Bologna, Italy teaches gelato making. Beginner courses run 3 days and certificate programs last 3 weeks. Classes are offered in Italian, English, French, and German. Students learn the basics of creating the sweet confection as well as the business of running a gelato café. Special courses include low sugar gelato and gelato for people with celiac and other food intolerances. Students stay at nearby hotels for discounted rates.
Photo: St. Peter’s Community News
3. African Drumming in Senegal
Pape Mbaye teaches Senegalese drumming and dance traditions practiced for 800 years during a month long workshop in Yoff, Senegal. Students learn to play 3 different drums (tama, djembe, and sabar), African harp, and xylophone. In addition, the curriculum includes 2 hours of traditional dance instruction each day and nightly visits to musical venues in Dakar. Students reside together in a guesthouse where they eat homemade Senegalese meals and have opportunities to participate in local village events.
4. Sport Driving School in England
The London Rally School offers courses in handling sport racing cars in different terrain and stages. Half and full day courses are available including a range of championship rally cars, buggies, and quad bikes. Participants also have an opportunity to race and win a trophy. The school is located about an hour outside of London or Birmingham.
5. Herb farming in Tasmania
The Pindari Herb Farm hosts 5-day learning retreats centered on growing medicinal herbs. Qualified pharmaceutical chemists teach participants how to identify up to 130 herbs by color, feel, and form and provide basic information for producing them for consumption. Topics include oil infusions, flower essences, aromatherapy techniques, herbal ointments and creams. Situated in the Tasmasian bush, the farm is environmentally friendly, relying on sun and wind power and local water sources. Price includes meals and accomodation.
Photo: Alaskan Dude
6. Belly Dance School in Turkey
The Gokpinar Music and Dance Center offers weeklong immersion programs in the cultural tradition of belly dance. Students receive 10 hours of beginner through advanced dance instruction in basic rhythms and zil practice in an authentic non-tourist setting. There are also lessons in drumming, cooking, and carpet weaving. Participants stay in a rest house in the Turkish countryside, where they can explore local markets, attend village events, and help with gardening in their free time. Male dancers are also welcome to attend.
7. Microbrewing in New Zealand
The AustraLearn Organization offers internships in microbrewery production. Interns learn the basics of maintaining and using equipment including filling kegs, washing tanks, and controlling the stock. There are also chances to learn processes for producing beer in the form of blending grains, boiling, and fermenting. Finally, participants also help market and sell the beer to local buyers. Depending on eligibility, some interns may also be able to write about their experience in a local newspaper and receive course credit. 
Community Connection
Have you ever participated in a fun learning program abroad? Tell us about it in the comments!
Mary Richardson
Mary Richardson is a former Peace Corps Volunteer in Namibia. She currently lives in Okinawa, Japan, where she is a tour guide and travel writer. Read her stories at worldcurioustraveler.wordpress.com/.
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Recently I had the privilege of visiting my nephew at THINK Global School, the first ever traveling High School. I didn’t really know what to expect, all I knew was that he went to a school that travelled from country to country in 3 month blocks.
I met the students as they were arriving in Sydney, just after their first trimester in Stockholm. Everything about the school blew me away. It made me wonder – “Why has no one thought of this before?”
Students were learning by doing, not by studying a textbook. SCUBA Diving, partaking in an Aboriginal sand painting, rock climbing in the Blue Mountains, visiting Kangaroo Island, watching Carmen at the Sydney Opera House, attending lectures by world famous speakers – these were just some of the day to day activities they would do!
It really made me wish that this type of school was around when I was younger, I would have given anything to travel and learn at the same time.
What an amazing set of trips with a purpose. I want to try them all!
The European Study Abroad Center has a “Lacrosse and Prague Program” in which you spend 3 weeks playing Lacrosse around Europe I believe and then Marketing/International Business courses at the University of Economics in Prague.
They helped arrange an internship for me in Prague 2.5 years ago – a lot of fun and tons of great activities/trips.
http://www.goesac.com for anyone interested!
I recently did a study abroad program through Academic Treks College. The trip included studying Shark Behavior and Conservation in FIJI!!
This was one of the greatest trips I’ve ever taken. It was cool to study sharks, then get to go SCUBA dive and see ALL of what we just learned and talked about right there in front of us! On our dives we would see about 15+ bull sharks, multiple reef sharks, and sometimes even a tiger shark. This type of hands on experience made the studying and learning so much easier.
Not only was the curriculum great, and FUN, but the cultural experience was unlike any other. We were given the opportunity to spend a few days with a Fijian family in their village and even get involved with their daily activities. I don’t think you could get any more immersed in the Fijian culture than that!
This trip exceeded my expectations and is one that I’ll remember forever!
Great list! I should just hop on up to Bologna and get certified while I’m here! Then I can take off and try the rest!
i hope to go to Turkey for the belly dance, can you give me requirements
Aaron,
Check out the link provided and you’ll see all the details. Hope you make it there!
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A great option for students with empty pockets is to check out XploreU . The company has brands pay for students to travel across the globe for 1-4 weeks volunteering and exploring the culture in return for being a brand ambassador on campus when they return. Students only have to pay the airfare from their home state to the departure city (Miami, NY, etc). It’s a great concept for students and lets them give back to the community as well.